A legislative committee has approved a bill that would exempt veterinarians from having to check the prescription drug monitoring program on the pets and their owners. Veterinarians support the exemption, but those who say they should check the PDMP argue that drug users could target animal hospitals as a source of drugs.

Animal rights activists in New Hampshire are pushing to ban the practice of shooting a pet that is sick, injured or dangerous after a dog was found shot to death.

Bruno was an 18-month-old mixed breed who was shot four times in September. His owner says the dog had bitten his children.

Katie Treamer, who helped found Justice For Bruno, says Bruno could have been returned to the shelter where he was adopted. She says if the dog was truly dangerous, then a veterinarian could have euthanized Bruno more humanely.

From Chicken Soup for the Soul to The Secret, self-help is an 11-billion dollar industry. We’ll talk to a writer who attended workshops, conferences and visualizations to understand America’s fixation with being better. And, any pet owner will tell you that having a dog or cat enriches one’s life, but what about a pet tiger or bear? We’ll take a look into the underground world of exotic animal ownership in America. Plus, common sense tells us that reading to children is good for them, but it’s more powerful than you might imagine. We’ll look into the practice of interactive reading and share tricks for bringing up book worms in the age of screens and digital devices.

Cats and dogs are living longer these days. And more old pets is giving rise to more options for pet owners looking for pet hospice and end-of-life care.

Sharon Sernik shepherds her two greyhounds over to the feeding bowls in her Merrimack kitchen. The dogs tromp past a room that was probably meant for formal dining — but is now more like a canine retreat, with scattered pillows on a bare floor for the seven household pets.

The National Institute of Justice estimates that up to 40,000 unidentified human remains have been collected and stored in evidence rooms across the country. Today, we talk to Deborah Halber about the growing number of internet sleuths trying to solve America’s coldest cases. Then, we look into the growing digital house key market. Plus, a heartwarming tale of a man and his owl.

Today on Word of Mouth, lions and tigers and bears - in cages. We're delving into the exotic pets debate. Then, on to a truly wild animal, but one whose population is dwindling. In the second half of the show, we hear from a man who spent seven years - yes, seven - transcribing the entire King James Bible by hand. Finally, Virginia sits down with Humaira Awais Shahid, journalist and human rights activist fighting for women's rights in Pakistan.

From kangaroos bred in captivity to trained tigers, exotic pets come from all walks of wildlife…and ownership of wild animals is increasingly becoming a hot debate. Exotic pet owners defend their right to care for critters from venomous snakes to angry chimps. Animal rights advocates meanwhile, are doing what they can to stop the purchase of exotic pets and place current ones into safe, accredited sanctuaries. Both camps appear to share a love of wild animals. Lauren Slater joined us to talk about the exotic animal ownership debate. She wrote "Wild Pets: The Debate Over Owning Exotic Animals" for National Geographic. Listen to Virginia's interview with Lauren Slater here.

Does your cat sound like a wailing woman? Your goat like a screaming man? Your dog like an unzipping tent? Or does your beloved pet make some other odd, funky, or hilarious sound? We want to hear it! Here's how to share your weird pet noises with us:

It’s been called “gold for nerds,” and “heaven for speculators.” The media love it, criminals have been buying illegal goods with it, and investors are lining up to buy it. But is Bitcoin the next great thing? Today on Word of Mouth: the prospects and pitfalls of bitcoins. Plus, we look at a new exhibit on the paradoxical power of poison in myth, murder, medicine, and history. And while we’re on the subject of snakes, Producer Taylor Quimby visited the New England Pet Reptile show in Manchester this past weekend and found some warm blooded mammals cuddling their cold blooded pets. Listen to the whole show below or click Read More to listen to individual segments.

New Zealand cat owners are reacting with outrage against a plan to drastically reduce the number of free-roaming cats proposed by renowned environmental activist Gareth Morgan.

The movement is rooted in a long-standing national concern about the dwindling native bird populations, including the kiwi, that are struggling against New Zealand’s cat population, which is the largest per-capita in the world. Here to discuss Kiwi’s cat war is ecologist Dr. James Russell, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland.

The Second Annual Dogs of NHPR is upon us, just in time for the 137th Annual Westminster Dog Show. We have a lovely selection of various breeds, and even a few other pet species thrown in for good measure. So without further ado, we present with minimal editorial input substantial editorial input, the Dogs [and other critters] of NHPR.

Believe it or not, our pets may be exposed to more harsh chemicals through the course of their day than we are. Researchers at the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that pet dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemicals tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people.